The boss shares his enthusiasm for top inflatable boats with his crew. "My employees live for this brand. Because every boat also contains their ideas," says Conrad Pischel, owner of Pischel Conrad Boatbuilding. Last December, the company moved into a new shipyard site - as before in Troisdorf in the Rhineland, but now larger and more modern. The location reflects what is important to them, the entire Pischel team: "The passion for our product Conrad Pischel R.I.B-Line".
Three signal flags in the company logo indicate the course: Romeo, India, Bravo - RIB. The abbreviation stands for Rigid Inflatable Boat, meaning inflatable boats with a rigid hull. They form the shipyard's core business. Under the "Conrad Pischel R.I.B-Line" brand, the company brings tenders, tour boats and inflatable boats for professional use onto the market.
The spectrum ranges from the 2.35 m short "Edelzwerg" to the 10.75 m long cabin RIB. What's more, Conrad Pischel also builds completely customised boats. His company is young and innovative, having just launched four new series RIBs, including two with jet propulsion. Conrad Pischel: "We always try to be one step ahead."
All R.I.B-Line hulls are handmade and the Hypalon tubes are hand-glued. Pischel has both components produced by renowned manufacturers in Italy. "The suppliers we have are extremely reliable," he explains, "and I get extremely high quality." When manufacturing the hull, Conrad Pischel uses existing moulds that he can use exclusively for certain markets. Laminating is carried out according to his specifications, and special requests such as reinforcements or special foundations are possible at any time.
Secondly, Pischel uses moulds it has developed itself, which are sent to an experienced laminator in Italy with its specifications. In-house designs make up around 60% of the R.I.B line, but ultimately every Pischel boat is unique. Because it becomes one at the latest when it receives its customised finish in Troisdorf. This is where specialists fit the RIB blanks from Italy with the desired interior and all the technology.
The result is an exquisite end product from a base - hull with tubes. Pischel's philosophy: "We attach great importance to superior sailing behaviour. The boats should always have very high-quality, complete equipment. And they have to be absolutely state-of-the-art."
The trade is in Conrad Pischel's genes, so to speak. His grandfather built boats, as did his father, Claus Pischel. His inflatable boats, the Pischel Bolero, became legendary. Father and son worked together until 2002, when they went their separate ways. In 2003, Conrad Pischel, now a master boat and ship builder, founded his own company - Pischel Conrad Bootsbau.
What drove him back then, the "vision of a new generation of inflatable boats", has been achieved, he says. His goal now: "We want to become even more international." Conrad Pischel exclusively supplies some large yacht manufacturers, and he would also like to expand this sector. His company will be represented for the first time at the Festival de la Plaisance in Cannes this autumn.
Visitors to the company headquarters in Troisdorf can also get an idea of Pischel's boats and services. "Customers can also experience various boats in different stages of construction and get ideas for their own new boat," promises Conrad Pischel. Contact: Pischel Conrad Bootsbau, Redcar Str. 44a, 53842 Troisdorf-Spich, Tel.: 02241-165 72 73
